1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to oral compositions and methods for preventing, reducing and treating radiation injury.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is generally known that extensive radiation exposure or exposure to strong radiation may cause radiation injury. Radiation injury may range from less serious injuries such as radiation dermatitis to more serious injuries such as those causing vomiting, bone marrow failure and intestinal death. Such injuries or damage may be caused by radiation emitted from x-rays such as those used in diagnostic equipment, γ-rays such as those emitted from radioactive materials or from numerous other sources.
Many attempts have been made to reduce, control or cure radiation injury. U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,140 to Nakai et al discloses a method of preventing or inhibiting radiation injury by administering interleukin-1-α derivatives. In particular, Nakai et al uses an interleukin-1-α modified by replacing the Asn at the 36 position with Asp, and replacing the Cys at the 141 position with Ser. The modified interleukin-1-α derivative is preferably produced using recombinant DNA techniques, which are complicated and burdensome. In addition, the potential adverse side effects of the modified Interleukin-1-α derivatives are not well known.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,092 to Koezuka et al. discloses a composition, which may be therapeutically or prophylactically useful in promoting bone marrow cell proliferation and protecting human bone marrow cells against radiation damage. The composition disclosed in Koezuka et al. contains α-galactosylceramide. However, radiation may cause other injuries in addition to damage to bone marrow cells and thus this composition has limited applicability.
There still remains a need in the art for effective compositions and methods to prevent, reduce and treat radiation injury.
Accordingly, it is an objective of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide an oral composition that, when ingested, will prevent, reduce or treat radiation injury.
It is further objective of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide methods to effectively prevent, reduce or treat radiation injury by oral administration of a composition that, when ingested, will prevent, reduce or treat radiation injury.
It is a still further objective of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide methods of administering a composition to prevent, reduce or treat radiation injury using a combination of oral and topical administration.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the summary and detailed descriptions of the invention, which follow.